IV. BRITISH BIRDS. 



A word must be added regarding the vexed question of 

 nomenclature. Up to now Ave have adopted, so far as 

 possible, the nomenclature employed by Howard Saunders 

 in his " List," published in 1907, and failing a more up-to- 

 date standard, no other course is open to us. We have for 

 some time, however, been at work, in conjunction with 

 Dr. Ernst Hartert, upon a Handlist of British Birds, the 

 nomenclature of which will be strictly in accordance with 

 the rules laid down by the International Commission on 

 Zoological Nomenclature. Although when adopted this 

 will involve a good many changes in the names at present 

 used in the Magazine, any inconvenience so caused will, 

 we feel, be amply compensated for by the gain in world- 

 wide uniformity and stability, which should be the result 

 of following rules framed by an international authority. 



The proposed Handlist will contain a sufficient synonymy, 

 and a careful account of the distribution of each bird. 

 It is hoped that it will be ready in the autumn, but in 

 order to avoid any confusion, and to give readers time to 

 study, and in some measure to become acciuainted with, 

 the new " List," the nomenclature at present in use will 

 be continued throughout Volume V. of British Birds, 

 and the nomenclature of the new Handlist will not be 

 adopted until the sixth volume. 



The Editors. 



April 29th, 1911. 



